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Literature Teachers Chatboard

Reading a novel...in class?

by Mike

Sep 27, 2010

I was just wondering what some different ways are to teach a novel to Middle School students. I was observing a young teacher and want to give her some alternatives to having students read to the class while she asks questions. This seems like a good way to ensure the students read the novel, but there has to be a better way to spend class time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Miss English Really, reading the novel during class time is necessary in order to ensure the students are comprehending the developing plot of the story. Also, the curriculum usually allows for big chunk of time to cover the novel. (Mine is 6 weeks) As well as including activities that can be used to accompany the reading. You can't expect middle school student...See More

Oct 4, 2010

Sue So, how do you assess their reading comprehension if they don't read? Listening and following with one's eyes is not reading.

How does what you do lead them to be able to indpendently read when they leave school or go on to further if it is read aloud for them?

I ask because I see this as a common practice in high school classes ...See MoreSo, how do you assess their reading comprehension if they don't read? Listening and following with one's eyes is not reading.

How does what you do lead them to be able to indpendently read when they leave school or go on to further if it is read aloud for them?

I ask because I see this as a common practice in high school classes as well as middle school classes. When CAN students be expected to read independently?

On 10/04/10, Miss English wrote: > Really, reading the novel during class time is necessary in > order to ensure the students are comprehending the developing > plot of the story. Also, the curriculum usually allows for big > chunk of time to cover the novel. (Mine is 6 weeks) As well as > including activities that can be used to accompany the reading. > You can't expect middle school students to read the novel at > home. I teach 9th grade and we read the novel aloud in > class;(this is the unit were currently on actually) as we read, > I do question the students to check for understanding, but also > the students answer study guide questions and fill in character > charts. However, I do add other activities in. I do a lot of > "free writing predicting" where I give the students 5 minutes > to write about what they think will happen next. Another > activity I do is have the students create a collage on the > novel's main character; I have magazines for them to cut from > and they will paste words/pictures that symbolize the main > character - they work on this throughout the course of the > reading. I give them a few minutes a couple times a week to > work on their collages. As they learn more about the main > character, they can gradually add more to the collage. > > I know reading a novel in class may seem as if it is a waste of > time, but really it is the best way to ensure they read and > understand it. However, every day doesn't have to be all about > reading; you can throw in other activities that relate to the > novel. > > On 9/27/10, Mike wrote: >> I was just wondering what some different ways are to teach >> a novel to Middle School students. I was observing a young >> teacher and want to give her some alternatives to having >> students read to the class while she asks questions. This >> seems like a good way to ensure the students read the >> novel, but there has to be a better way to spend class >> time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Oct 4, 2010

P. Hays I teach 6-8 grade literature. I create a syllabus which lets students know what the reading and other assignments will be done on each day of the reading. (example:

Syllabus: 2010 Seventh Grade Girls “Becoming Naomi Leon” by Pam Munoz Ryan Mon. October 4 Read A Rabble of Yesterdays & Chapter 1 (pages 1-15) HW: “Thing...See MoreI teach 6-8 grade literature. I create a syllabus which lets students know what the reading and other assignments will be done on each day of the reading. (example:

Syllabus: 2010 Seventh Grade Girls “Becoming Naomi Leon” by Pam Munoz Ryan Mon. October 4 Read A Rabble of Yesterdays & Chapter 1 (pages 1-15) HW: “Things I Am Good At” (DUE Tuesday, 10/5) HANDOUT: Vocabulary for Chapters 1-4 (DUE Thursday, 10/7) HW: Study Guide Chapters 1-4 (DUE Thursday, 10/7)

Tues. October 5 Read Chapters 2 & 3 (pages16-33) HW: Cast of Characters (DUE Thursday, 10/21) TURN IN: “Things I Am Good At”

Wed. October 6 Read Chapters 4 & 5 (pages 34-51) Review Vocabulary Chapters 1-4 HANDOUT: Vocabulary for Chapters 5-8 (DUE Tuesday, 10/12) HW: Study Guide Chapters 5-8 (DUE Monday, 10/11)

During class we collect what is due to be turned in, discuss the homework/assignments/vocabulary, and then read the book in class. Any reading which is not finished in class is read at home, but this allows me to discuss the book with the students as we read (sometimes I read and sometimes they take turns reading aloud. Rarely, they read in class silently on their own.) I prefer to read so I can keep stopping to discuss a point and invite responses. We keep up with the syllabus and are able to read six or eight books a year this way, and still have time for essays, grammar, and short stories, poetry, etc., from the regular literature textbook.

On 10/04/10, Sue wrote: > So, how do you assess their reading comprehension if they don't > read? Listening and following with one's eyes is not reading. > > How does what you do lead them to be able to indpendently read > when they leave school or go on to further if it is read aloud > for them? > > I ask because I see this as a common practice in high school > classes as well as middle school classes. When CAN students be > expected to read independently? > > On 10/04/10, Miss English wrote: >> Really, reading the novel during class time is necessary in >> order to ensure the students are comprehending the developing >> plot of the story. Also, the curriculum usually allows for big >> chunk of time to cover the novel. (Mine is 6 weeks) As well as >> including activities that can be used to accompany the reading. >> You can't expect middle school students to read the novel at >> home. I teach 9th grade and we read the novel aloud in >> class;(this is the unit were currently on actually) as we read, >> I do question the students to check for understanding, but also >> the students answer study guide questions and fill in character >> charts. However, I do add other activities in. I do a lot of >> "free writing predicting" where I give the students 5 minutes >> to write about what they think will happen next. Another >> activity I do is have the students create a collage on the >> novel's main character; I have magazines for them to cut from >> and they will paste words/pictures that symbolize the main >> character - they work on this throughout the course of the >> reading. I give them a few minutes a couple times a week to >> work on their collages. As they learn more about the main >> character, they can gradually add more to the collage. >> >> I know reading a novel in class may seem as if it is a waste of >> time, but really it is the best way to ensure they read and >> understand it. However, every day doesn't have to be all about >> reading; you can throw in other activities that relate to the >> novel. >> >> On 9/27/10, Mike wrote: >>> I was just wondering what some different ways are to teach >>> a novel to Middle School students. I was observing a young >>> teacher and want to give her some alternatives to having >>> students read to the class while she asks questions. This >>> seems like a good way to ensure the students read the >>> novel, but there has to be a better way to spend class >>> time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Oct 22, 2010

High school English Teacher High school teachers have students read novels in class or use a tape for the kids to listen to because students do not DO homework anymore even when it is assigned. Any work we want done by kids for a grade or otherwise must be done in class. The honest truth is most kids do not read for pleasure. You can tell this by looking at their writing. ...See MoreHigh school teachers have students read novels in class or use a tape for the kids to listen to because students do not DO homework anymore even when it is assigned. Any work we want done by kids for a grade or otherwise must be done in class. The honest truth is most kids do not read for pleasure. You can tell this by looking at their writing.

On 10/22/10, P. Hays wrote: > I teach 6-8 grade literature. I create a syllabus which lets > students know what the reading and other assignments will be done on > each day of the reading. (example: > > Syllabus: 2010 > Seventh Grade Girls “Becoming Naomi Leon” by Pam Munoz > Ryan Mon. October 4 Read > A Rabble of Yesterdays & Chapter 1 (pages 1-15) HW: > “Things I Am Good At” (DUE Tuesday, 10/5) HANDOUT: > Vocabulary for Chapters 1-4 (DUE Thursday, 10/7) > HW: Study Guide Chapters 1-4 (DUE Thursday, 10/7) > > Tues. October 5 Read Chapters 2 & 3 (pages16-33) HW: > Cast of Characters (DUE Thursday, 10/21) TURN IN: “Things > I Am Good At” > > Wed. October 6 Read Chapters 4 & 5 (pages 34-51) > Review Vocabulary Chapters 1-4 HANDOUT: Vocabulary > for Chapters 5-8 (DUE Tuesday, 10/12) > HW: Study Guide Chapters 5-8 (DUE Monday, 10/11) > > During class we collect what is due to be turned in, discuss the > homework/assignments/vocabulary, and then read the book in class. > Any reading which is not finished in class is read at home, but this > allows me to discuss the book with the students as we read > (sometimes I read and sometimes they take turns reading aloud. > Rarely, they read in class silently on their own.) I prefer to read > so I can keep stopping to discuss a point and invite responses. We > keep up with the syllabus and are able to read six or eight books a > year this way, and still have time for essays, grammar, and short > stories, poetry, etc., from the regular literature textbook. > > > > On 10/04/10, Sue wrote: >> So, how do you assess their reading comprehension if they don't >> read? Listening and following with one's eyes is not reading. >> >> How does what you do lead them to be able to indpendently read >> when they leave school or go on to further if it is read aloud >> for them? >> >> I ask because I see this as a common practice in high school >> classes as well as middle school classes. When CAN students be >> expected to read independently? >> >> On 10/04/10, Miss English wrote: >>> Really, reading the novel during class time is necessary in >>> order to ensure the students are comprehending the developing >>> plot of the story. Also, the curriculum usually allows for big >>> chunk of time to cover the novel. (Mine is 6 weeks) As well as >>> including activities that can be used to accompany the reading. >>> You can't expect middle school students to read the novel at >>> home. I teach 9th grade and we read the novel aloud in >>> class;(this is the unit were currently on actually) as we read, >>> I do question the students to check for understanding, but also >>> the students answer study guide questions and fill in character >>> charts. However, I do add other activities in. I do a lot of >>> "free writing predicting" where I give the students 5 minutes >>> to write about what they think will happen next. Another >>> activity I do is have the students create a collage on the >>> novel's main character; I have magazines for them to cut from >>> and they will paste words/pictures that symbolize the main >>> character - they work on this throughout the course of the >>> reading. I give them a few minutes a couple times a week to >>> work on their collages. As they learn more about the main >>> character, they can gradually add more to the collage. >>> >>> I know reading a novel in class may seem as if it is a waste of >>> time, but really it is the best way to ensure they read and >>> understand it. However, every day doesn't have to be all about >>> reading; you can throw in other activities that relate to the >>> novel. >>> >>> On 9/27/10, Mike wrote: >>>> I was just wondering what some different ways are to teach >>>> a novel to Middle School students. I was observing a young >>>> teacher and want to give her some alternatives to having >>>> students read to the class while she asks questions. This >>>> seems like a good way to ensure the students read the >>>> novel, but there has to be a better way to spend class >>>> time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Nov 25, 2010

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